"These bandit faces may be 'cute' but they are some of the meanest animals out there..." That has not been my experience with coons. - I have found them to be fairly gentile, if a bit demanding, and quite intelligent.
I strongly suspect that the subject coon was indeed rabid. - The big problem with them is that they are omnivorous, and often end up eating something rabid.
You must be talking about tame coons. IN the wild, the old males can get huge and really really mean. I've seen some really huge ones near the missouri river before and I wouldn't want to be within 20 yards of one unless I was in a car, which I was at time.